1.Everyone shall possess the right to freely express and publicise his thoughts in words, images or by any other means, as well as the right to inform others, inform himself and be informed without hindrance or discrimination
2.Exercise of the said rights shall not be hindered or limited by any type or form of censorship
Constitution of the Portuguese Republic, Article 37.º

Exposing a Swindler: The Truth About a Pathological Liar

In this post I will expose and prove how the so called journalist 'Duarte Levy' is nothing more than a con man, a swindler and a dangerous pathological liar. I was compelled to write this article as a warning for others who may fall prey of his lies and manipulative games, even though the subsequences that will probably originate from here will no doubt be used by persons who have other agendas.

In 2007 I used to follow a few blogs to learn about the Madeleine McCann case, one of those blogs was SOS Maddie, written by a freelance Belgium journalist, 'Duarte Levy'. As many others, I had the impression that 'Duarte Levy' was a man that knew through investigative journalism and that had in his possession documents which he would use as a basis to then write articles about the Madeleine case.

Later in 2008, Duarte Levy wanted to meet me, at the time I was on the North of Portugal at my family's house, and he travelled there to meet me and to talk about the case. What I didn't know at the time is that Duarte Levy 'studies' very well his soon to be victims, before he does the operation 'Charm & Con'.

Anyway let's stop calling this man of 'Duarte Levy' since that is not his real name. Let's call him by the name that his Portuguese parents gave him: Nuno Miguel Duarte, being Duarte his family name, a common name in Portugal like Silva or Lopes.

So, in 2008, this man, wanted to meet me. Obviously I was absolutely excited for knowing someone that could fill in the gaps, with whom I could exchange information and ideas. He presented himself as being Duarte Levy, a freelancer journalist who worked with the Times, the Sun, Hareetz, La Dèrniere Heure, El Mundo and several other papers which I don't recall - the Times and El Mundo being the only newspaper that I could confirm the veracity of his allegations [that is regarding the Madeleine McCann affair previous to that...nothing exists].

When I questioned that his name 'Duarte Levy' didn't appear in the on-line newspapers or that his professional past as a freelance journalist simply wasn't traceable he told me that he wrote under a few alias, one of them being Simon de Bruxelles [profile at journalisted.com; facebook and twitter]; the twitter social profile of Simon de Bruxelles has however a striking similarity with 'Duarte Levy' & 'Arthur Finkelstein' twitter profiles, updates, similar followers, etc.. As a final consideration on these three tweeter profiles, I can only assume that the journalist 'Duarte Levy' uses this 'sock puppets' to sustain his own allegations and to, in the public view, assume a credible professional image.

There is also another fake on-line character, just created to praise and divulge his work - a kind of split personality syndrome - named DJorn - which as 'Duarte Levy' himself explained to me was a nick created by adding his name 'Duarte' with 'Jornalista' [Journalist].

Djorn, is a member of three arguidos, which has defended his '«master's voice» several times, even affirmed that he and Duarte Levy are totally different persons - interestingly Djorn posted several times on the 3 Arguidos Forum using - guess what - my own IP address, attributed by TVCABO operator [see screenshots bellow] - which is odd, to say the least, considering that I never met Djorn. Or did I?

Another interesting situation is how Djorn was also able to connect to the internet via TMN GPRS operator, an account that 'Duarte Levy' asked me to open for him, affirming that he would pay me every month, since he didn't have a Portuguese home address to give - a condition to have a mobile net service. Yes, gullibly, I opened that account with my name, my home address and ended up paying more than 1000 Euros - and this is not an easy thing to assume in front of unknown persons: I was defrauded.

Screen shot of a few of DJorn's IP's addresses

One example of DJorn IP's which is my TV CABO IP address

Moving on and resuming what could become very quickly a long tale.

'Duarte Levy' upholds a professional image that has no basis at all and that no one (not even colleagues) are able to verify, this despite several attempts to corroborate a highly unlikely professional past history; he alleges to have immeasurable contacts and knowledge to the highest levels than can never be verified [José Socrates, Ricardo Paiva, Lopes da Mota, Clarence Mitchell, Paulo Rebelo, etc]; he fantasises, deceives about the possession of explosive documentation whose existence cannot be proved and when confronted or urged to demonstrate the veracity of fantasist allegations, has always a ready-made answer. If pressured, he reacts in an aggressive and/or a victimizing behaviour, never recognizing that he can be in error, even keeping fantasised characters to sustain his allegations.

The conclusion that I arrived is that this man exhibits a pattern of systematic lies, of compulsive nature, he is someone who is a fantasist, a megalomaniac and without any doubts a pathological liar.

A few examples

A debate about the Maddie Case to happen on the previous month of May, 2nd - which no one saw, heard, or went even though that he has stated that it did happen - in two different places to different people, at Fábrica do Braço de Prata in Lisbon, and at University Lusófona. I personnally had to advise a friend to not buy a plain ticket or to make Hotel reservations.

A few ladies, members of the Forum SOS Maddie were promised a book full of explosive and exclusive documents, the book was supposed to be called 'Maddie.Net'. Several ladies paid more than 23 Euros each for a reservation of the said book. The book was never published. See screenshot bellow.

There are other stories essentially similar to the above mentioned, some which I could only explain betraying the confidence deposited in me. Suffice to say that I had to erase all the knowledge gathered in the past two years through 'Duarte Levy' articles.

It's time to move on, and concentrate on what really matters.

To all my readers, a word of encouragement: I will be here fighting for the Truth, no matter what.

Joana Morais

Read more - Clean Slate : Exposing a Swindler Part IIFollowing my initial approach concerning the alleged 'investigative journalism' that is practised by a person that calls himself 'Duarte Levy', and having been confronted with suggestions that I might be merely reacting to a personal problem, I leave you a collection of items that range from the merely doubtful to the outright fantastic.

«As a journalist since 1982, I always did my best to check and confirm, with several and reliable sources, all facts and information in the articles I published, either alone or co-authored. Serious allegations were raised by Joana Morais, a blogger that I know and respect, concerning the credibility of Mr. Duarte Levy, with whom I co-authored many articles about Madeleine Mccann's investigation.

My credibility is also seriously damaged, due to my association with him. A journalist's credibility takes a long time to build but it's a fragile thing. A single mistake is enough to destroy it. Once lost, it's almost impossible to have it back. So, I decided to stop writing about this case.

Time – and the persistent work of so many people, in hundreds of blogs and dozens of forums, analyzing the large amount of information available – will show what is truth and what is not truth. In the end, I believe, truth will prevail – and that is the most important.»

«Mr Duarte Levy - an Opinion: I first started to suspect with the 24 photo episode. They are still waiting, to this day, to be printed from the memory stick that surely is implanted in Mr. Levy’s skull. In exclusive.» Textusa's blog

«Facts by themselves can often feed the flame of Maddie-ness: (...) the so-called journalist ‘Duarte Levy – was nothing of the sort, little more than a common fraud.» Anna Raccon's site

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48 comments:

Hi Joana, what an excellent piece of journalism and written with such honesty. I have become very uncomfortable in the last few days with all that has been happening with certain ex mods on another forum..To be frank I do not know what to believe anymore. So, for the moment I shall keep away and follow what is being said by some very spiteful people...However Joana you have always been true and your faith in finding the truth for madeleine has never faltered.

When you think about it he sounds just like Gerry Mccann another swindler and pathalogical liar,

Gosh, Joana I'm shocked.Such a serious case and the man is making up stories.You're are right by officially telling us what you know and think about him.I remember having warning you long ago bij email because I had found out lies he was saying.I think it was about photos in the Tapas bar, that fatal evening.And he was present at Oprah's, he spoke to a authority in Germany, he spoke to Clarence Mitchell...Travelling around with your money,Joana... or simply going to a Belgium restaurant?I'm extra angry because I have a daughter of your age, a beautiful daughter, whose charater is described on her files at the companhy where she works as being loyal,honest and responsible.Exacly like your are, girl!I admire your courage, warning us about him.We all love you, Joana. And a big kiss from me and my cat!

I'm surprised and at same time not. I read several articles wrote by him in several newspaper, including "el mundo". But I always get a pinch of salt after, because sometimes he claims so serious facts that if they are true and prouved, Maddie case will be solved long time ago. I start watching him with a strange feeling after that: HIS HE THE JOURNALIST WHICH CLAIMS ON SEPTEMBER 2007, JUST AFTER THE MCCANN'S FLY HOME, THAT HE HAVE PICTURES OF KATE PROUVING THAT SHE CHANGE HER CLOTHES DURING THE DINNER, ON MAY 3? Then after he try to negociate this pictures with PJ then suddenly all the story fade in the newspapers? Maybe I get confused, but at time I had the impression that he is the journalist.... He still given lots of opinions on Maddie's case. I saw Julia Pinheiro talking with him by phone, after Oprah show, when she interviewed Amaral and Paulo Sargento. Is she aware about all this stories?

AND... most important... WHAT ARE HIS REAL PURPOSES? HE is just looking for some glory momments in fame stage? Or is he annother Aragao... more elaborated and more danger... I mean, pretended to be on Amaral's side but working for Gerry and Mitchell as a Spy to see what is going on Amaral's intention's? THE OCTOPUS LOOKS SO BIG.... POOR AMARAL AND POOR MADDIE...

JOana, I'm expereiencing extreme difficulties in accessing your blog,so, I'm not sure my post will get through, but I just want to say:How sad this is! I too had lots of hope in D. Levy and what he knew or would "digg" on the Maddie case. Now, after reading your opinion and facts on him I fell like I've been hit by the proverbial "balde de água fria"( bucket of cold water)!It's all so disturbing and worrying, this man has made fools of us all, raising our hopes amd what worries me the most is the damage he can cause to people like yourself, Dr. Amaral, Dr. Paulo Sargento, Hernâni Carvalho,etc., who have trusted and worked with him! I must say that I started to have my doubts about this man when I read that he said that it was not Madeleine and what happened to her that interested him, BUT, the politicians and the political implications of it!I'm feeling so disheartened by his deception and lies, and I do not even know the man, I cannot beggin to imagine how you must have felt!

I must admit, that when I saw the interview that you posted and translated, (with Julia Pinheiro talking with him by phone, when she also interviewed Dr Amaral and Paulo Sargento) I thought... what a load of rubbish he was talking. Nothing made sense, he never answered any questions, he never gave any information, and he just seemed to be "talking for the sake of bumping his gums together" as my father says.

Joana, we sit on opposite sides of the fence in the matter of the parents' guilt, but I can say in all honesty that it gives me no pleasure to see you have finally realised this man is a fraud. Many of us so-called 'pros' came to this conclusion a long time ago, but I still never expected that this behaviour would extend to actually financially defrauding people. That is appalling. I had worked out he was Finkelstein on Twitter, it was clear that he had never been near Sri Lanka and that no 24 photos exist, but this is much worse because he used and abused individuals who supported him. I hope you have informed G Amaral, and I very much wish you would inform the press, too. He should no longer be able to pose as a journalist. And where does this leave Paulo Reis? Was he also tricked and defrauded?I salute your decision to tell what you know of 'Levy'.

As I already posted several times before, Maddie case feed perverted brains in many ways. This one is annother ill and perverted man, and his behaviour was a crime. He feed many press and TV programmes in Portugal with lots of stories. He need's a investigation on his purposes. I tend to agree with Prof. Moita Flores when he defends that Maddie case will be solved by paralell cases. Is Levy one of this paralell cases? What moves him? the easy money? the popularity? the spots light of the fame? or something more serious and connected with Mccann's? I just wonder because it is common sense that probably Tapas 9 are Tapas 10.... Who is the 10? The story is getting worse! I hope you inform what you find , to Julia Pinheiro, Hernani de Carvalho and Amaral.

“I personnally had to advise a friend not to buy a plain ticket or to make hotel reservations.”

I think I am the friend referred and what Joana says is true.

I am saddened to have to read the post published today, although it is true that if someone is given incorrect information it has to be said. Something like this could greatly damage the credibility of many persons who have been working hard for a long time to know the truth in this case.

This is again, PGR and PUBLIC MINNISTRY fault for not letting Amaral go untill the end with his investigation. If so, the case will be solved long time ago and there will be no space for all this perverted people to show-up. Now the crime became a big cocktail with several new characters to investigate.... this means, more money from portuguese taxes to be dropped on Maddie mistakes. Should we connect Mitchell-Mccann's-M3-Aragao-Levy? My god, poor Maddie... her short life feed a story with so many chapters...

Thank you for posting a warning to us all and sharing your experiences and knowledge on this subject. After the reports were printed that there was a collection of photos that held condemning evidence against the McCanns within them and and nothing came of it, I lost faith in the veracity of this man.

It is sad that his deceits may reflect on the other persons who have worked honestly and diligently on behalf of discovering the truth of what happened to Madeleine McCann.

We can just add Duarte Levy's name to the same list Mike Hitchen's is on--dishonorable imposters, both of them.

Keep up your good work, Joana. You are a trusted source of information to so many of us following the McCann case.

So now we're to believe that all the people we trusted are now no good? Does that also mean Paulo Rees cannot be trusted or is that certain people just want all the credit for themselves even though they are being dissed on other other blogs as can't be trusted also?

Duarte can't be the anonnymous blogger Amaral refered to because Joana said it was Rosiepops, so if that turns out not to be true does that mean we can't trust Joana either?

Who else is going to be 'outed'? This case gets more stinky by the hour.

I can imagine spin Mitchell claping his hands and spreading the news about DL and his close work with Amaral. He foolish Amaral or he know's who his the real DL? I remember that on last interview with Julia Pinheiro, Amaral was not very excited with idea of Julia Pinheiro calling DL about Oprah show and what he finds from Kate behaviour, or from the new scapegoat Hewlett. I noticed aswell that DL did not stand on Amaral's side when he was convicted in Leonor Cipriano circus. Was he related with Aragao, and working behind scenes on his behalf? Goncalo Amaral said on that interview that somebody listen his mobile and his house phone and his e-mail was also attacked. Should be somebody which know's or have access to his private adresse's. Can be Levy? I think, Goncalo Amaral and Paulo Sargento needs to come to the Media and show the public who is Levy and make a strong evidence that they have been victims of that perverted man. They came togheter in so many TV programmes that this story if not well handed by G. Amaral and P. Sargento, can damage their reputation in many ways. The British Media will make big front pages about that story.

What is your knowledge of Paulo Reis's integrity and honesty in reporting? He has worked so closely with Mr. Levy in reports on the Madeleine story that he is either complicit with Mr. Levy or in the same boat as you--betrayed. So far, there is no mention of Mr. Levy's duplicity on his gazetadigital blog. Will you please inform us what you find out on this subject, once you full understand the reality?

My second question is this: is there a way to compile a list of "facts" that Duarte Levy reported on this case and notate which can be confirmed by another, unrelated, reliable source and those which derive solely from Mr. Levy and/or Mr. Levy with Paulo Reis? Although this would be a time-consuming, painstaking task, it would benefit us to "remove" from our minds, as well as your blog, all erroneous information he has provided on this case.

It's very difficult to be trusting once you have been personally misled and betrayed. I hope that you will be able to heal well from this negative experience.

Do you have a PayPal account that we could donate funds to you? You provide a wonderful service to all of us following the case. Now, more than ever, I would be glad to send some money your way, to compensate for your financial loss.

Levy's Twitter page is a strange affair. I noticed he claimed to be in the US for the Oprah show. Why? He can't afford the fares, he wasn't going to find out any more than the rest of us sat in front of the box. But he left a deliberate trail of Tweets to show himself in the US and then in Sri lanka, even telling people how to get out by boat :nuts:

He Tweets with one Arthur Finklestien, also claiming to be a journalist but the name is that of a prominent Republican PR guru who single handedly turned 'liberal into a term of abuse in the US.I suspect Arthur is a figment of his own vivid imagination.

His Tweets are also full of references, in English to 'meeting with our good friends', dropping material off at hotels for Arthur, and generally what an important and busy person he is.

He is a total Walter Mitty fantsay character, a fruitloop of the first order. The fact that he and his 'Axis of Vitriol' have managed to have such a profound effect on the reporting of this case simply shows how shallow and unjournalistic the blogging community really is.

And how readily people will believe someone, anyone, telling them what they want to hear.

The sight of people like Levy calling people like Jane Tanner liars and fantasists would be amusing if it were not so deeply repugnant.

116. @ArtFinkelstein Yep. Meet very nice people. I was waiting for you there. Just drive to Lisbon to see "you know who" before my new mission.8:29 PM May 3rd from Power Twitter in reply to ArtFinkelstein

117. @ArtFinkelstein Hi. I’m in Lisbon. Can you bring the new stuff to my hotel?8:01 PM May 3rd from Power Twitter in reply to ArtFinkelstein

Hi, Joana , Astro, etcToday I heard "DL" on TVI.What are you thinking to do?I leave next to Astro."DL" must be persecuted, I think, from long ago now.If you need any help, just "put your lips together and....." that's it.xxxJodie

How very strange. I have now seen two post I made on another forum about the strange case of Levy reproduced as comments, and yet I did not bring them here. They concern in particular his strange 'twitterings', which were co clearly faked.

Dear Joana, I am very, very sorry what happened about DL.Might/could he be (one of) the reason(s) that the 3A's have closed down? You will be very hurt, we all are looking forward for justice for "our" little girl. If we cannot trust eachother, it as a big shame.Hopefully we will go on till there is justice for Madeleine and Mr G. Amaral.

For Reference:http://vaievem.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/o-dn-foi-enganado/http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/ultima-hora/documento-forjado-contra-candida-almeidahttp://www.dn.pt/inicio/portugal/interior.aspx?content_id=1636620http://www.dn.pt/inicio/portugal/interior.aspx?content_id=1638652http://www.jornalistas.online.pt/noticia.asp?id=24&idselect=369&idCanal=369&p=368